Criminal justice-related outcomes for youth who have been served in out-of-home mental health settings such as residential treatment and inpatient hospitalization are unclear. This study longitudinally modeled the changing probability of being charged with a crime from age 16 to 25, including being served in out-of-home treatment and aging into adulthood, while controlling for person-level covariates such as gender, race, past criminal charges, and mental health diagnoses. Results indicated that out-of-home treatment was related to a decreased probability of being charged with a crime during treatment, but it had no relationship to post-treatment probability. Longitudinal probability of being charged was moderated by gender; females did not experience a peak probability time whereas males peaked at age 19. Other significant contributors to being charged included having a substance use diagnosis and having an offense record prior to age 16. Evidence indicated that out-of-home treatment was used as an alternative to detention and incarceration for both juveniles and adults.
展开▼
